Damir Kreilach joins Real Salt Lake after move from Union Berlin

Damir Kreilach joined Union Berlin in 2013 and spent more than a year as the club's captain.

Real Salt Lake has signed Damir Kreilach from German second-tier club Union Berlin, allowing the 28-year-old midfielder to fulfill a goal of playing in the United States.

Kreilach, a former Croatia youth international who had been under contract at Union Berlin until 2019, will join Real Salt Lake immediately, the German team announced on Wednesday. The transfer fee was not disclosed.

"I've only played for two clubs in my 10 years as a pro -- Riejka and Union," Kreilach said, according to Union's website. "I've now had the chance to make a dream come true and move to America with my family.

"I am very thankful that Union allowed me to take this chance. I know that this is not a given."

Kreilach, who served as Union's captain between July 2014 and October 2015, scored 33 goals in 157 appearances for the club.

"There could not have been a better club for me than Union," said Kreilach, who joined Union from Riejka in 2013. "Those were incredibly nice and emotional years. A new adventure for me and my family begins now. A new country, a new language, a new culture. I wanted to experience that as a pro."

Stephan Uersfeld is the Germany correspondent for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @uersfeld.